


The depths of each other’s feelings

by SailorStarDust1



Series: True Desire Made Clear [2]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Canon - Original Game, Canonical Character Death, F/M, First Time, Gen, Love Confessions, Missing Scene, Romance, Shades of AerTi/Clerifa, Smut, Under the Highwind, romantic smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-07 10:16:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19082992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorStarDust1/pseuds/SailorStarDust1
Summary: Alone the night before the final battle, Cloud and Tifa express their feelings without words.The morning after, the reunited party visits Cosmo Canyon one final time.Judgement Day has arrived.(Conclusion to the slow burnAnxious Heart)





	The depths of each other’s feelings

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to make this separate work to keep naughty bits self-contained. Doesn’t every CloTi fanfic-author have to write their take on “Under the _Highwind_ ” at least once?😉 To this day I'm shocked Square intended the somewhat-ambiguous final scene (before 500 years later) as an "everybody dies" ending, considering Aeris' bookend appearance sealed the deal in my mind that humanity/the Planet was saved.
> 
> Anyway, fic title comes from a line in the English **Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Vol 2**. A few typos/mistranslations in the book, but it's an overall worthwhile purchase if you're a fan of the PS1 era FFs.

“Hey, Tifa...I...There are lots of things I wanted to talk to you about. But now that we’re together like this, I don’t know what I really wanted to say...I guess nothing’s changed at all...Kind of makes you want to laugh...”

Fixing her hair, she began smiling at his words, recalling the Reactor 5 mission. Fearing for his life in the heat of the moment, she anxiously blurted out having still so much to tell him. Even back in Midgar, he felt the same. At least, on a subconscious level.

“Cloud...Words aren’t the only thing that tell people what you’re thinking...”

“........”

Tifa turned to face him with her smile never fading. Cloud found himself slowly smiling in response despite his racing heart, feeling somewhat awkward how to proceed. Scanning the memory banks for advice from Zack when it came to girls, resulted in...nothing. Still, no need for personal frustrations of uncertainty, when there was plenty of time for himself and Tifa to simply _enjoy_ one another, together.

It was Cloud who closed the small gap between them, fingers interlacing in a simple handhold. Maybe it was best to start out small, slowly. To feel each other out—no pun intended—regarding one another’s personal comfort zones.

“You know, before I remembered Zack....”, his smile turned shy, cheeks slightly red, “I honestly thought of us as best friends.” It was a gentle admittance, but full of truth.

Tifa’s own smile warmed, her earrings shimmering, caught in the rising moon’s light. “Funny you say that. Before I remembered our childhood, I felt the same.”

“Shame we never _did_ get a chance to fool around as teenagers. Wouldn't it have been exciting, sneaking around with threats of your dad trying to kill me?”

“ _Cloud_!” Laughing despite bright red cheeks, she playfully punched his shoulder. No longer any need to linger on sadness and hurt about beloved family and friends that returned to the Planet. Certainly _she_ metaphorically embraced everyone’s merged consciousness with open arms.

Cloud’s hands rested on either side of Tifa’s hips, foreheads touching with her hands looped around the swordsman's neck.

They stood with shut eyes, enjoying nature’s peaceful serenity. A slight breeze picked up, crickets quietly chirping, as little by little the evening stars decorated darkening pink and orange heavens above.

Tifa’s voice was quiet, calm. “Whether or not my hero made it into Soldier wasn’t the important thing. I just wanted to see you again.”

Immediately, Cloud’s lips found a happily surprised Tifa’s, acting on impulsive desire years in the making. If he could  _finally_ show his childhood neighbor what she meant to him...She gradually deepened their first kiss, Cloud’s mouth all too eagerly accepting her tongue’s leisurely exploration.

A light saliva trail connected their lips, breaking away to pepper the other’s forehead, cheeks, nose—anywhere within reach—in soft kisses. Continuing to embrace as foreheads touched, Cloud silently laying against grassy fields with Tifa on top.

Twilight hour what it was made it hard to distinguish whose face burned brighter.

A suspender strap loosely fell atop Tifa’s skirt in a manner that Cloud internally described as cute. He debated on enjoying the moment for what it was, versus honest curiosities getting to him. “Tif, have you ever been with...?”

“Of course I have urges like everyone else, but...” She shook her head, smiling again. “Aerith and I kissed before. Besides that, nothing.” She offered him a shoulder massage; no need for him to be so visibly nervous, essentially kneading away the knots and slight lip pout. “You?”

Relaxed enough to smirk lazily, his body practically melted against her fingers. “Besides not knowing how to feel that you two First Base’d before _I_ did with either of you?”

Nothing to be jealous about Cloud’s truth told in jest when they both felt the same, wanting to see Aerith again. _For her sake…let’s enjoy tonight, Cloud._

She giggled, “We were curious and Aerith was _incredibly_ bubbly about it. She even joked we should’ve invited you to our tent!”

Smirk fading from Cloud’s lips, a serious glint in his Mako eyes fell to the grass surrounding them. “I’ve never been with a woman, no.” Those words hung in the cool air, Tifa catching his meaning. All he could do was shake his head, deeply exhaling through his nose. _Zack was loyal to_ her _. Other than that, I…can’t remember. Did Hojo’s sick experiments involve…?_

“Hey.” Tifa’s friendly hand lightly squeezed one of his loosened-up shoulders. “If you ever need to talk....”

Nodding seriously, he scratched the back of his head, suddenly shy. Uncertain. “It’s safe if—”

“It’s okay.” They were perfectly fine, since she already took that sort of thing for periods.

“...Okay.”, He shakily repeated her words, slowly lifting up her top to push her bra over her breasts. If the others returned, they’d have to abruptly cut things short.

Gingerly stroking Tifa’s cheek with a thumb, her still sitting in his lap, Cloud watched her nipples harden from the evening breeze. Her large breasts were something he’d _always_ been naturally curious about, but first...he planted a butterfly kiss on the deep scar across Tifa’s chest, ending where her belly began.

She shuffled about to gently kiss Cloud’s similar scar, his across his chest where his shoulder met. Forever unhealed scars left by _him_ , although neither would be bothered by it any longer.

Shyly holding hands and exchanging smiles aboard the _Highwind_ simply hadn’t been enough, ever since they _finally_ met again in the Lifestream. True feelings that nobody could take away.

_Let’s make the most of tonight, Tifa._

Sharing a first kiss in that 4 month period before Cloud’s departure to Soldier at 14 would’ve been embarrassing. Tifa had been _far_ too good for scum like him, the heavy guilt of his inability to protect her like a weight around his neck in addition to scarred knees. Returning to Nibelheim with Zack at age 16 was another missed opportunity, his personal shame.

Ironic, that their reunion one rainy Midgar day made tonight—gradually deepening kisses, feathery-light touches across patches of skin—possible.

* * *

“Congrats on poppin’ the question, man!”

Barret couldn’t help be all smiles, thinking back to his hilariously ill-timed proposal to Myrna, taking a wrong turn to her house due to pure nerves and _maybe_ a little too much of the old liquid courage. Regardless, he was delighted by her warmhearted answer.

“Yeah, well....” Cid shrugged, attempting to play off his proposal, silently thankful his stupid misunderstandings towards Shera long since cooled. “We need to live to see tomorrow, first. The hard part’s just ahead.”

“No kiddin’.” Spotting two familiar shapes in the distance, Barret squinted. “Ain't that Cloud and Tifa? Why are they talkin’ outside on such a chilly night?”

“The hell are those two kids _—_ _Christ_!” Wide-eyed, Cid found himself stifling a cough, quickly looking away to pocket himself for a smoke. “Got a deck of cards or somethin’?”

“Uh, yeah.” Barret flashed the pack with his good hand, nodding towards the airship. “I guess it’ll be a _long_ night waiting.”

Unable to help himself, the airship captain could no longer hold back a boyish snicker, Barret quickly joining Cid’s raucous laughter.

* * *

She silently marveled once Cloud’s pants and boxers were loose around his ankles, hopeful she wasn’t clumsily pleasuring him as she lay on top. Using her breasts—lightly coated in his precum—to rub against his hard length, Tifa delighted in the noises from the back of his throat. Tentative, increasing greedy, licks to his shaft were quickly replaced by her warm mouth, Cloud’s erection fully engulfed.

He had wordlessly suggested their position, currently preoccupied with flicking his tongue over and over her throbbing clit, each butt twitch and biting-her-lip-in-anticipation-moan secretly melting his heart further. She couldn’t help natural shyness around him, their relationship immediately taking such a romantically _intimate_ level simply a dream come true.

 _Cloud_ being the one to offer her so much pleasure felt too good to be their reality, Tifa herself beautifully bringing him closer and closer to the brink, her throat loosened as she licked his underside, greedily savoring as much salty precum she could. A different taste compared to private curiosities of her own body, but nothing unpleasant.

Smirking, Cloud lapped up accumulating juices, tongue snaking its way between her folds. He delighted in Tifa’s muffled moaning his name, stifled due to her sucking, kissing, his cock. Only a few minutes of shared oral pleasure and she was already _so close_. His calloused fingers shakily reached out to pinch her hard nipples, and slowly massage her breasts.

His tongue eagerly tasted years of pent-up wetness dripping down her thigh, before _deeply_ sucking her swollen clit once more, unrelenting.

 _…Cloud!!_ Breathlessly wide-eyed and trembling from white-hot pleasure of her orgasm, Tifa’s mouth broke away from Cloud’s twitching member with an audible _pop_ , slowly jerking with precum-coated fingers, heavily panting, feebly swallowing to catch her breath.

Another wordless gesture, the gently smiling blonde’s hand lightly caught her wrist from behind. Tifa nodded despite their matching blushes, detangling herself from their 69 position to now sit in his unclothed lap.

As beautiful as a painting, the midnight blue sky streaked with twinkling stars seemingly blessed the union of the half-nude, embracing, couple. Arms looped around one another’s neck, their mouths sloppily met in a kiss that seemed to go on and on.

With Cloud lifting her skirt, Tifa’s panties continued dangling around an ankle before slowly pushing herself down, wincing from discomfort despite boldly _needing_  to take in his entire length in _right now_. Both quietly gasped at their contact in pure amazement.

His openly smiling was already a rare sight throughout their adventure, his breathlessly holding back laughter (while checking Tifa’s face, a thumb caressing her cheek) even rarer. Purely euphoric herself, the couple held back their tittering giggles, Tifa cocking her head in wry amusement. She was fine.

Cloud’s lips captured Tifa’s, gently opening her mouth with his tongue while she began essentially grinding and humping underneath him in urgent want. Time on their side—at least tonight—Cloud’s hips lazily thrusting, Tifa’s crying out gradually quieting despite his agonizing, deliberately slow yet intense, contact.

Making love to Tifa under the starlight...the reality of their situation made Cloud’s heart skip a beat, probably landing somewhere in the vicinity of his throat. The sun’s rays long ago fading on the horizon meant another tomorrow would come.

His face buried in Tifa’s neck, Cloud busily groped, massaged, her sensitive breasts, her nipples, her thighs. Her nipples especially engorged as if he passionately suckled them sometime during his sex-addled delirium, his girlfriend’s happy moans spurring Cloud’s desire to bring _more_ pleasure to them both. Not even Meteor’s increasing threat would disrupt tonight’s exhilaration.

Unable to help himself, his mouth found her breasts once more, teeth lightly biting down a nipple while Tifa—sweating lightly and bouncing atop Cloud with fingers tangling his hair—offered happy encouragement by pushing his mouth against her breast, greedily accepting  _more_.

Try as he might to hold back, to keep the momentum of the emotionally intense high,  Cloud grit his teeth in delicious anticipation in a feeble attempt to cool increasing desires.

_So close so close so_

So incredibly close, Tifa’s tight warmth nearly sucking him in, so so very _good_.

Bouncing atop him in pure ecstasy, Tifa’s breasts swayed with Cloud’s every maddening thrust to her slick pussy. She suddenly deepened their ongoing kisses to quiet Cloud’s grunts, her tongue a perfect distraction before his glowing emerald-speckled eyes rolled in the back of his head, while he relished in absolute pleasure. _Tifa, I’m coming!_

Savoring his hot release so very _deep_ within her, sweating, sighing, Cloud’s fingers tangled Tifa’s disheveled brown locks, their lips locking over and over, tongues clashing to messily savor each other’s mouth.

“Mmh...Oh....” Breathing heavily with vague awareness of his cum and her blood mingled, spilling out, trickling down Tifa’s thigh. Neither willing to break their intimate connection just yet.

Rather, they enjoyed crisp night air against chilled skin and glittering starlight above. Heartbeats slowing to a calm rhythm, the couple gradually caught their breath despite breaking into sudden laughter, their earlier euphoric giggles returning in full force.

Sharing the same feelings, cheeks nuzzled against the crook of the other’s shoulder, together they’d giddily ride out their intense sexual high.

* * *

“I was getting sick of punching you back into reality.” Tifa’s tone was halfway teasing.

He chuckled despite his serious reply, offering a feathery-light kiss to her temple. “I’m sorry about everything.” Attacking Aerith—another beloved, her pure hearted enough to _immediately_ forgive him—while later on nearly attacking Tifa due to Jenova’s mental fog, especially weighed heavily on his mind.

Her eyelids heavy while sleepily smiling, nuzzling against Cloud in a hug for warmth, their knees bumped in the process. Long since dressed after the peaceful bliss of returning to earth from their natural high of sharing one another. Maybe climbing the _Highwind_ to doze off in the Chocobo stalls would’ve been the prudent decision, but something about making love under the stars just felt...special. Right.

“I always believed in you, Cloud. I knew you could find yourself again.”

Cloud silently stroked Tifa’s hair, equally touched by her words while needing emotional comfort. Wordlessly expressing their love tonight was magical, yet.

If their mission to save the Planet resulted in failure, dying a week before the rest...at least together, he, Tifa, and their team would be reunited with Aerith once more.

Knowledge of the Lifestream was truly bittersweet. At least someday, they’d reunite with Aerith before their death and rebirth cycle of life would begin anew.

“Nobody's going to die. Not ever again.” Resolute. Aerith would be the first and last time of anyone’s untimely death, if Cloud had anything to say about it.

Still, his voice took on the shyness of earlier that evening, lips tenderly brushing against Tifa’s ear, to offer: “If you’d like...we could stay in Costa del Sol? J-just you and me, I mean.”

Living together, already. A huge step, one he wouldn't necessarily mind.

“Mh.”

“...Tifa?”

Cloud closely embraced his childhood friend, who’d fallen fast asleep. On an early January night like this, they had to keep warm. Comforting that she felt relaxed enough in Cloud’s company to get much-needed sleep, before the end.

Aerith’s prayer for Holy was with them. There was no giving up, no turning back.

* * *

“Umm, Cloud....”

Cloud turned his head at the sound of Red’s voice. He stood near Tifa on the bridge of the _Highwind_ , the rest of the party scattered about the bridge, like always. In their own private thoughts due to Judgement Day finally arriving, Yuffie earlier expressing confusion why Cloud was oddly cheerful.

Dawn long ago broken, it was an otherwise sunny day despite Meteor’s threat looming ever closer to the Planet.

“What’s wrong?”

“I understand it’s a selfish request, but....” His good eye focused on wooden floorboards, Red nearly embarrassed. “Before descending the Northern Crater, could we stop by Cosmo Canyon? I’m a little worried about Grandpa. Ever since he helped us safekeep the Huge Materia, he....”

Bugenhagen was supposed to turn 130 this year, wasn’t he? No wonder Nanaki was worried. “I don’t mind going with you.” Approaching his friend with a nod, Cloud crossed his arms. Glancing back at the open sky, he briefly shut his eyes to fight off the onset of sudden nausea. _Ugh. At least Yuffie can relate._ “The rest of those Weapons _have_ been strangely quiet, so we can visit without any issues.”

“Strangely quiet for now.”, Vincent dryly quipped—was that a hint of a smile?—overhearing their conversation due to proximity.

Cloud awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Hopefully, it doesn’t come down to more fighting.” _Shame that Aerith isn’t here to calm them, since they were created by the Planet. But…we don’t have much choice._

* * *

Shyly taking Cloud’s hand into her own, Tifa finally smiled for the first time this tense morning, flames of the Cosmo Candle ensuring inward serenity rather than panic. “I’m so relieved.”

His mouth slightly parted while taking in Tifa’s features contrasting with the glow of the flames, Cloud was surprised at the soothing sensation washing over him; a cool shower of calm from a waterfall. How odd that this fire felt so...peaceful..compared to that time, back then.

To shift his focus onto more sensual matters: kissing her again, tasting her skin...could wait until more privacy was had between them. Once everyone had truly won, returning home proud.

“—So, what do you think?”

Blinking twice, Cloud was unaware she was speaking, given her averted ruby eyes to focus on the holy bonfire. “Huh? What’s up, Tif?”

Her cheeks tinted pink, as if they were normal teenagers exchanging prized possessions for sentimental keepsakes. “You can have my locket.” The truth, Cloud’s genuine reality, contained within. Zack, Tifa, and....

“Remembering the past isn’t always negative. If you only want Zack’s picture, should we cast Firaga on Sephiroth’s side?”

Despite his various deep-seated anxieties, Cloud burst out laughing with a hand cupping her cheek.

Tifa blushed crimson once her skin brushed against Cloud’s sword-calloused fingers. Sure, they’d sometimes hug—with more frequency ever since he found himself—but it was still an adjustment phase, considering the night before.

Not necessarily awkward, but....

“Hang onto it for me. Okay?” Her smile as full and genuine as their passionate night before, Tifa’s head snuggling deep against the crook of his shoulder.

An arm protectively wrapped around her waist, nodding and pocketing the delicate weight of such an incredibly precious gift that could never be replaced. Painful to be sure, but a personally important matter. “Sure thing.”  

Taking note of Red’s casually approaching the Candle, Cloud reassuringly squeezed Tifa’s arm to mutter in her ear, “This is it. Are you ready?”

 _No giving up when everyone’s together._ The group’s self-appointed brawler fought back an abrupt nervous gulp, politely ignoring brief flickers of anxiety in Cloud’s own eyes.

He opted to stand in order to greet Red while she nodded to herself, all 5 senses filling with pure determination. _I’m not going to chicken out at the last minute._

“Nanaki...is Bugenhagen?”

“Grandpa told me he’s going away again!”

Aerith entrusting her hope to Holy, most likely her father Gast’s frantically scribbled clues near that waterfall music box...maybe, it _was_ too early to give up. Tifa managing to get Cloud to smile since last night certainly had been a feat!

Relaxing by the sacred Cosmo Candle fires like this, her thoughts couldn’t help turn to her kind friend Nanaki. If Bugenhagen already began his Lifestream journey, let it be dear Aerith who peacefully guided him. That was Tifa’s genuine hope.

**Author's Note:**

> "....Were you watching?"
> 
> Part 3 (the next part!) of this Series was actually my first FFVII fic written last year, so I hope you all enjoy that one.


End file.
